The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-06-27


equipped as well as the resources of the
State would allow. Houston himself left
Washington with only thirteen men.
There were four of us serving in the double
capacity of courier and scout Having
given notice to the settlements generally,
we started for Gonzales to rejoin our COM
mands about the last of March or April l
1886. We did not get to Gonzales,
but met Gen. Houston with his troops, in
retreat-Travis and Fanndn having been
slain and their forces massacred early in
March. Falling into line | marched with
the troops to San Felipe, where Gen. Hous-
ton expected to make stand but, finding
the position not advantageous, he hid his
men in the Brazos bottoms and sent out
trusty spies and scouts to watch Santa
Annals movements. The Mexicans, in
strong force, came to San Felipe and burned
it, but Capt Mcsely Baker Of Alabama
kept them from crossing at that point.
subsequently, however, Santa Anna got
his own division across at Fort Bend and
with it marched eastward. On his way he
burned Harrisburg. on Buffalo bayou, and
thence went to New Washington, at the
mouth of the San Jacinto, where he ex-
pected to capture the President and Cabinet
and he came very near accomplishing his
purpose. Failing in that he burnt and
destroyed much private property for the
citizens, of whom, perhaps, Col. James
Morgan suffered more than any other.
Meanwhile Houston's scouts were on the
alert and when Santa Anna left New Wash
ington, taking the road for San Jacinto-
Houston having moved up his forces also
the two hostile armies now found them
selves in close proximity to each other. On
April 20, 1886, aboat loaded by
Santa Anna from the store houses of Col.
Morgan was seen to go up the San Jacinto
1t was learned by the scouts that this boat
was to land at Lynch's ferry, from whence
the supplies were to be~transported to the
Sabine, the boundary line between Texas and
the United States, where Santa Ann@pro-
posed to establish a garrison, scornfully
proclaiming that he had driven the rebels
out of Texas, and if the United States did
not behave herself he would give her a dose
of the same medicine, and then return to
the City of Mexico the Napoleon of the new
worldi Gen. Houston did not take any
stock In the Napoleon part of the pro-
gramme, but sent ten men with orders to
capture the boat, inasinuch as his army was
sorely in need of something to eat. | was
sent on that mission, with nine others
Taking our position ON the bank of the
river, perceived as the boat approached
that the helm was managed by turner
Morgan, a slave belonging to Col. Morgan,
whose property the Mexicans had so UNI
mercifully raided few days previous. AS
the boat came in speaking distance, +
hailed Turner and ordered him to bring the
boat to me- He was glad to do SO at once, and
as he rounded, ten of the twelve Mexican
oarsmen jumped overheard and swan
away; the other two we kept as waiting
boys. We captured a quantity of provisions,
amply sufficient TO supply our army well,
over which there was great rejoicing.
On the same day, April 20, 1886, Santa
Anna was reinforced by 500 men, and he
made preparations at once to give the
crushing blow to Houston's army. These
reinforcements had crossed a bridge over a
bayou, aud, to prevent their retreat, Hous-
ton on that night sent "Deaf Smith" to
burn the bridge, which before the next
morning dawn was totally destroyed On
the morning of April q, 1886, it
was seen that battle could no longer be
deferred. Houston made a speech to his
men in which he told them that victory
was their only hope. The troops compre-
hended the situation and resolved to con-
quer or die. The line of battle was formed
and we waited the advance of the Mexicans
with orders not to fire until we could see
the whites Of their eyes. After remaining
in this position a short time our general
thought he could get for us a.sftuation still
more advantageous, and while attempting
to make the move the two armies came
suddenly in contact with each other, and
the famous battle of San Jacinto came off
in an open prairie near the residence of Mrs.
Lynch, and in full view of the spot where
my flag with the lone star was raised first
under such trying circumstances on or
about September Is, 1885. 1t
seems as if an over1uling providence had
said to the naughty Mexicans: ''Thus far,
and no farther shalt thou come" And to-
day the people of this fair land are in the
full enjoyment of the innumerable blessings
resulting from the independence won on the
banks of the beautiful San Jacinto, where
the lone star with that ''magic word" first
blazed in the sunlight of heaven, and
danced on the balmy southern breeze.